This invention relates to clutch/brake assemblies.
Clutch/brake assemblies for small engines, such as those used with lawn mowers and the like, generally include an input, an output and a brake and are operative to couple the input to the output for driving a cutter blade, for example, and to disengage the input from the output and engage the output with the brake whereby rotation of the cutter blade is arrested. Most prior art brake/clutch assemblies for small engines include biasing springs which urge the input member into pressure engagement with the output member and a cam assembly for disengaging the input and output members and for affecting the engagement of the output member with a brake element. These prior art brake/clutch assemblies were not wholly satisfactory because if the caming action fails, the clutch defaults to the drive mode.